Scotland played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Many Scottish merchants and traders grew rich from trading slaves and goods produced by slave labor in the colonies. However, a strong abolitionist movement emerged in Scotland in the late 18th century, leading to the end of Scottish participation in the slave trade in 1807 and the final emancipation of slaves in Scotland in 1838.
When Did the Scottish Slave Trade Begin?
Scotland’s involvement in the slave trade began in the early 18th century. The Treaty of Union in 1707 opened up the colonial markets of England and its empire to Scottish merchants. Scottish traders quickly became active participants in the triangular trade between Europe, Africa and the Americas. Ships would leave Scottish ports like Glasgow carrying manufactured goods to trade in Africa for slaves. The enslaved Africans were then transported across the Atlantic and sold in the West Indies. The ships would return to Scotland loaded with West Indian products like sugar, tobacco and cotton produced by slave labor.
Glasgow dominated the Scottish slave trade and by 1760 it was the second largest slaving port in Europe after London. Between 1750 and 1775, up to 78% of European ships that left Liverpool and Bristol for Africa called at Scottish ports first to load goods for trade. Scottish merchants and traders grew immensely wealthy from the slave trade. Many leading Scottish families such as the Glassfords, Cunninghams, Stirling-Maxwells and Lamonts had ties to the slave trade. Scottish commerce and industry was stimulated by the growth of tobacco, sugar and cotton imports from the Americas.
When Did the Anti-Slavery Movement Begin in Scotland?
A campaign to abolish the slave trade emerged in Scotland the late 18th century, led by Christian reformers and Enlightenment thinkers. The Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade was formed in Edinburgh in 1791. Prominent members included James Beattie, Adam Ferguson, John Erskine and Walter Scott. They argued that slavery was morally wrong and contrary to Christian ethics.
Other abolitionist organizations like the Glasgow Anti-Slavery Society and the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society followed. They petitioned Parliament, organized boycotts of slave-produced sugar and wrote pamphlets attacking the slave trade. Leading abolitionist voices included James Ramsay, Zachary Macaulay and John Murray of Broughton. Thomas Clarkson’s landmark essay on the slave trade was first published in Edinburgh in 1788.
These activities began turning public opinion in Scotland against the slave trade. In 1792, a law was passed in Scotland banning financial or commercial transactions connected to the slave trade. The slave trade was eventually abolished throughout the British Empire in 1807.
When Did Slavery End in Scotland?
Slavery remained legal in Scotland until 1778 when an appeals court ruled that it was not supported by Scots Law. However, the rights of slaveowners were upheld and existing slaves remained in bondage. There were still an estimated 1,000 domestic and plantation slaves in Scotland in the early 19th century, even after the 1807 abolition.
The final extinguishing of slavery came through the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 which abolished slavery in most British colonies from 1834. Full emancipation was finally achieved in Scotland in 1838 when apprenticeship schemes ended for former slave children under the age of six.
Important Dates Related to the Ending of Scottish Slavery:
- 1778 – Slavery declared unsupported by Scots Law, but rights of owners upheld
- 1792 – Scottish law passed banning financial transactions connected to slave trade
- 1807 – Slave Trade Act passed abolishing slave trading in British Empire
- 1833 – Slavery Abolition Act passed abolishing slavery in most British colonies from 1834
- 1838 – Final extinguishing of slavery in Scotland as apprenticeships end for former child slaves
What Led to the End of Scottish Involvement in Slavery?
There were several key factors that contributed to turning Scottish public opinion against the slave trade and eventually led to its abolition:
Changing Moral Attitudes
The 18th century saw changing moral and religious attitudes in Scotland influenced by the Enlightenment. Thinkers like Francis Hutcheson challenged the traditional justifications of slavery on moral grounds. Christian reformers highlighted the unethical nature of slavery and the slave trade which violated human dignity.
Slave Trade No Longer Economically Vital
While the slave trade had enriched many Scottish merchants in the 18th century, by the early 19th century it was no longer as economically vital for Scotland. The Scottish economy had diversified into manufacturing, finance and commerce. Glasgow was no longer as dependent on slave-based Atlantic trade.
Slave Revolts
Uprisings and revolts by enslaved Africans made the colonial slave system seem less tenable and increased public fears in Britain. The violent Haitian Revolution from 1791-1804 showed slaves fiercely resisting their bondage.
Changing Labor Needs
After the loss of the American colonies, Caribbean planters were investing more in the Indian indentured labor market rather than relying on the costly slave trade. This reduced economic incentives for the trade.
Abolitionist Organization
Well-organized abolitionist groups like the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society mobilized public opinion through petitions, pamphlets, boycotts and lectures. They convinced many Scots that slavery was a national disgrace.
Who Were the Key Figures in the Anti-Slavery Movement in Scotland?
James Beattie
Aberdeen philosopher and poet who was a founding member of the Edinburgh Anti-Slavery Society in 1791. He wrote passionately against the immorality of slavery.
John Erskine
Prominent Church of Scotland minister and leading light in the Scottish Enlightenment who helped establish the Edinburgh Anti-Slavery Society.
James Ramsay
An Anglican reverend who had worked in the West Indies and published influential books describing the horrors of the slave trade. He lived in Edinburgh in the 1770s-1780s.
Thomas Clarkson
English abolitionist whose pioneering essay on the slave trade was first published in Edinburgh in 1788 and helped galvanize Scottish opposition to the trade.
Robert Smith
A former Jamaican slaveholder who experienced a religious conversion and published influential anti-slavery writings in Edinburgh such as “A System of Liberty and Equality” (1778).
Zachary Macaulay
A former colonial governor in Sierra Leone who became a prominent abolitionist writer and activist. He helped establish the Glasgow Anti-Slavery Society.
Henry Cockburn
A distinguished Scottish lawyer and Whig politician who advocated strongly for the abolition of slavery as an MP in the 1830s.
Jane Smeal
A working class abolitionist who helped found the first female anti-slavery society in Edinburgh in 1825 and organized numerous petitions.
What Was the Economic Impact of Losing the Slave Trade in Scotland?
Ending the slave trade did initially have negative economic effects in some sectors of Scotland like shipping, tobacco and sugar importing. However, these impacts were mitigated by the diversification of the Scottish economy into manufacturing, finance and engineering. The loss of the slaves trade allowed investment and labor to shift to other thriving industries.
Glasgow did lose its preeminence as Britain’s second slaving port. But it soon replaced slave trading with trade in honest goods like textiles. Other Scottish ports like Leith, Greenock and Port Glasgow had already shifted from the slave trade to trade with India and the Far East.
The wider benefits of abolition like expanded international trade meant Scotland continued to prosper. The Scottish Enlightenment also continued to flourish without the slave economy. Ending the slave trade did not ruin Scotland’s economy. Rather it allowed economic evolution into new profitable forms of commerce and industry.
How Did the Ending of Scottish Slavery Affect Plantation Owners?
There were around 170 Scottish slave owners in the Caribbean colonies who were directly impacted by abolition. They received around £20 million in compensation from the British government for the loss of their “property” in the 1830s emancipation. This supported many in maintaining lavish aristocratic lifestyles back in Scotland.
For example, the wealthy Stirling-Crawfurd family of Milton received huge slave compensation payments equalling around £2.7 million today. This allowed them to continue living in luxury on their Scottish country estate and even indulge in yachting expeditions.
However, some indebted Scottish West Indian planters faced ruin from the loss of their slave workforce. Robert Hay, owner of 700 slaves in Jamaica, killed himself in 1839 after abolition left his plantations struggling. But others transitioned to free labor or simply sold their lands. The compensation payments cushioned the impact on most owners.
What Was the Response in Scotland to Slave Emancipation?
The final abolition of slavery in the British Empire in the 1830s was generally welcomed across Scotland. It was praised by civic leaders, clergymen and the Scottish press as an act of moral justice and Christian compassion. Scots saw themselves as leaders of the global anti-slavery crusade.
However, some worry remained about the impact on the colonies and slave owners. Edinburgh’s Lord Provost expressed concerns that emancipation was being rushed through too hastily. Glasgow’s merchants were anxious about the effect on sugar and cotton imports. The compensation to owners relieved some of these commercial fears.
There were also some pro-slavery voices who condemned abolition as dangerous folly. But these were a small reactionary minority. Most Scots proudly embraced their nation’s role in ending slavery, which was seen as confirming Scotland’s progressive and enlightened values. However, the deep economic legacy of slave wealth remained woven into the fabric of Scottish society.
Conclusion
While Scotland played a regrettable role in the 18th century slave trade, it also produced some of the most passionate early voices against slavery like John Erskine and James Beattie. The Scottish public came to see the injustice of slave trafficking and embraced reform. Campaigns by Scottish abolitionists were crucial in turning opinion against the Atlantic slave system. Acts of Parliament in 1807 and 1833 officially ended Scottish complicity, but the abolitionist spirit triumphing over vested interests made it possible. The ending of Scottish slavery marked both a moral and economic turning point for the nation.